Sat, 11 Nov 2017, 17:38 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 53rd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Duane Shields                          57 James Stevens                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.073  5.266 275.62                     0.042  5.340 268.49
 Qualified:             #5  5.269 275.90                       #12  5.316 269.24

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 36 percent, barometer 28.83 inches, adjusted altitude 2,823 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

This is the first time Shields and Stevens have faced each other in eliminations.

Stevens with the starting line advantage and the lead until just past half track when Shields chased him down for the win. Duane Shields' MOV: 0.0435 seconds (approximately 17 feet). Shields with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8002 Julie Nataas                         6843 Ken Webster                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.271 278.58                     0.048 No Time      
 Qualified:             #1  5.115 280.49                       #16  5.337 260.31

Webster with the starting line advantage, but made a quick move toward the centerline and took out the 330-foot block.

Nataas was straight down the groove with a real nice pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 725K Krista Baldwin                          1 Joey Severance               
E1                   0.117 11.269  97.98     ****WINNER****  0.049  5.270 272.83
 Qualified:            #13  5.323 268.17                        #4  5.244 273.88

This is the first time Baldwin and Severance have faced each other in eliminations.

Severance with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will give up lane choice to Shields in the next round by 0.004 seconds.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7777 Bill Litton                           888 Fred Hanssen                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.124  5.616 221.23                    -0.201  5.493 269.24
 Qualified:             #2  5.211 280.14                       #15  5.329 271.19

This is the first time Litton and Hanssen have faced each other in eliminations.

Hanssen goes red to give Litton the easy win. Litton was all over the lane and then started to drop cylinders before he clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7402 Randy Eakins                          628 Kim Parker                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  5.286 268.22                     0.071  5.327 271.13
 Qualified:            #10  5.304 269.40                        #7  5.289 274.22

This is the first time Eakins and Parker have faced each other in eliminations.

Eakins with a couple tick advantage on the tree and never trailed for the win. Randy Eakins' MOV: 0.0435 seconds (approximately 17 feet). Eakins with his quickest pass of the season for the win. Randy Eakins' MOV: 0.0435 seconds (approximately 17 feet). He will have lane choice over Litton in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                            5 Chris Demke                  
E1                   0.054  5.304 267.91     ****WINNER****  0.076  5.281 273.83
 Qualified:             #9  5.293 269.51                        #8  5.293 274.55

Demke is 1 - 0 against Grisel in prior events. Grisel with the starting line advantage, but Demke had the difference made up by 150 feet and never trailed from there on for the win. Chris Demke's MOV: 0.0015 seconds (approximately 7 inches). Demke with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will give up lane choice to Nataas by 0.010 seconds in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   17 Dan Mercier                             7 Garrett Bateman              
E1                   0.096  5.305 272.67     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.325 275.45
 Qualified:            #11  5.309 273.94                        #6  5.284 277.03

This is the first time Mercier and Bateman have faced each other in eliminations. Bateman with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Garrett Bateman's MOV: 0.0343 seconds (approximately 14 feet).

Mercier with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  706 Ashley Sanford                          3 Shawn Cowie                  
E1                   0.057  5.395 260.41     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.228 274.78
 Qualified:            #14  5.328 274.33                        #3  5.230 274.00

Cowie is 3 - 0 against Sanford in prior events.

Sanford with the starting line advantage, but cowie had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. Cowie with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will have lane choice over Bateman in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink